Many liquid and all gel propulsion systems are based on hydrazine or its derivatives. These materials are very energetic and reactive; however, they are characterized as being toxic. Thus, a successful competitive fuel that is less toxic should be hypergolic with the oxidizer inhibited red fuming nitric acid (IRFNA), type III B) and should be as energetic as the hydrazine based fuels. An alternative fuel disclosed hereinbelow is less toxic and meets the requirements of being hypergolic with IRFNA.
Triethylamine has been identified in the propulsion literature as being hypergolic with IRFNA but it has an unacceptable delay in igniting. Diethylethanolamine is very reactive with IRFNA but it is not hypergolic.
An object of this invention is to provide an alternative fuel which has acceptable ignition times, hypergolic with IRFNA, less toxic than hydrazine based fuel, and be as energetic as the hydrazine based fuels.